


A long time ago in a Skype chat far far away...

by pimpam



Category: Football RPF
Genre: M/M, possible Star Wars spoilers I guess?, this is silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 14:46:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6524464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pimpam/pseuds/pimpam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><tt></tt><i>Álvaro Arbeloa</i>  [17:16]<br/>Pepe’s seducing you to the dark side.  Choose light, Chori.	</p>
<p><tt></tt><i>Raúl Albiol</i> [17:17]<br/>Whatever.  Nerd.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A long time ago in a Skype chat far far away...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [guti](https://archiveofourown.org/users/guti/gifts).



When Raúl really thought back on it, he figured that everything, this entire mess he’d gotten into, had all begun with a simple text message from way back in December

`_Álvaro Arbeloa_ [03:57]  
Chori, you’re the Finn to my Poe. `

It had all gone phenomenally downhill from there.

He hadn’t caught that message when it came in. Oh no. Like any other respectable adult, he’d been fast asleep at 3:57am on December 18th 2015. Two hours and three minutes later, his alarm had gone off, and he’d hauled himself out of bed for a jog and then a shower and then breakfast. When he’d finally taken the time to poke around on his social media, Raúl had smiled, and then responded.

`_Raúl Albiol_ [07:32]  
Huh? `

Álvaro had taken a while to message him back. Probably sleeping, if he was up until later than 4. Raúl would have been sleeping, anyway. Without thinking much more about it, he’d gone off to practice.

By the time he got out that afternoon, there was a response waiting for him.

`_Álvaro Arbeloa_ [15:20]  
Go see Star Wars. It’s fantastic. `

Naturally, Raúl had told Pepe, who had snickered at their compatriot’s expense. “Figures it’s a nerd thing with Tostadas. Tell him to concentrate on catching up to Barça. Not the new Game of Swords or whatever.” Raúl smiled at that, too. It was as good a reply as anything.

` _Raúl Albiol_ [17:15]  
Sounds like a nerd thing. `

This time, the reply was immediate.

` _Álvaro Arbeloa_ [17:15]  
Fuck you. It’s the masterpiece of our generation. `

` _Raúl Albiol_ [17:16]  
Pepe agrees. `

` _Álvaro Arbeloa_ [17:16]  
Pepe’s seducing you to the dark side. Choose light, Chori.`

` _Raúl Albiol_ [17:17]  
Whatever. Nerd. `

They’d started talking about other stuff after that, and Raúl hadn’t given Star Wars another thought. At least not for a while.

Madrid was having a tough season, and periodically Raúl felt compelled to call people up and see how they were taking it. It’s not like he could offer any great words of wisdom, but sometimes he figured sympathy was good enough. He didn’t mind being a way for people to vent. Misery, after all, loved company. By people, of course he meant Álvaro. 

Even if Arbeloa wasn’t playing much, he still felt every match. Ramos was the team’s captain, but Raúl knew well enough that Álvaro was the team’s cheerleader. Age, as it turned out, was a good look on him. What had seemed like airheadedness when he was younger, had turned into a sort of calming reserve as the man had grown up. It was both admirable and quite attractive, if Raúl were being honest with himself. And he was, sometimes.

So, they’d talked throughout the spring, catching up on teammate melodramas. Álvaro told him who Pepe and Marcelo were hazing, how, and why. Raúl told Álvaro about the rumor going around that Gigi Buffon had been inducted into the Illuminati. He didn’t seem surprised, but Raúl did find it kind of satisfying that Álvaro couldn’t quite pronounce the word. 

“I figured you’d know how to say it. It’s kind of a nerd thing, right?”

Álvaro was unflappable. “Speaking of which, you saw Star Wars. Tell me what you think.”

“So you admit that’s a nerd thing now.”

“I admit it’s the movie of the year. Probably the decade.” Raúl admired Álvaro’s powers of obfuscation. “So, have you seen it?”

Raúl paused, took a breath. “... I’m working on it.”

“... _Chori_.”

Raúl felt like he was being scolded.

 

A text message had come through about a week later, after minimal contact. Raúl tried not to think too much about it. They were both busy guys with families, and league matches, and it wasn’t like they were seeing each other all the time for call ups anymore. It made keeping in touch tough. When it happened it happened, but Raúl considered himself a grown up enough not to feel slighted when it didn’t. At least not too often.

`_Álvaro Arbeloa_ [23:44]  
Good game today. The Force was with you guys. `

` _Álvaro Arbeloa_ [23:44]  
Oh, and Star Wars comes out this week. You haven’t seen it so let’s watch together on skype? Btw, you’re hot when you get carded. `

Raúl would be lying if he said he he didn’t feel just a little smug texting back.

`_Raúl Albiol_ [23:45]  
Kay. `

``

``

Maybe the nerd stuff would be alright after all.

\---

Raúl watched the action on the his laptop screen with a sort of absent fascination. It was pretty, no doubt. Great graphics. If this were a videogame, or, you know, in a language he could speak, he’d probably be more interested.

On the screen one of the characters screeched, “This is the ship that made the Kessel Run in fourteen parcecs?!” It was too bad. He’d liked the girl from the start. Her goggles were badass.

Harrison Ford --Han Solo. He knew Han Solo, sort of-- responded, “Twelve!” 

Over Skype, Álvaro hollowed. Raúl felt like he’d missed something and said as much.

“Oh, it’s a thing from the other movies, you remember. Han Solo bragging about the Falcon and how completely awesome it is.” Raúl hummed an noncommittal affirmative. Álvaro seemed to take it okay. 

… Then he went on, “It’s kind of stupid because parsecs are a measurement for distance and not time, so it doesn’t make any sense. Lucas is great for story, but the continuity and world building gets a little weird if you think about it too much. Like the thing with stormtroopers all being clones, you know?” 

Now Raúl knew he’d missed something. “They’re clones? But how is--” “Shhh!” Álvaro hushed him. “This is a good part.”

It was a good part. Raúl liked the ships fighting. It was nerd stuff, but it was super cool.

He didn’t much care Kylo Ren, he seemed like a little bitch with a daddy complex. Or the big hologram guy, for that matter. And the stuff with the shrill girl imagining things with the lightsaber was cool, but not as emotionally stirring as he thought maybe it was intended. Raúl figured it was the language thing again.

“Okay, so you’re right. Star Wars is pretty okay.” The cliffhanger pissed him off, actually, but Álvaro didn’t need to know that.

“Told you!” Came the tinny reply over skype. Even half a continent away, Álvaro sounded happy, young, excited. It was nice. He sounded nice.

“Don’t get too excited. I don’t think I understood half of it.”

“That’s cause you haven’t seen the other movies,” Raúl heard a shuffling, like Álvaro was resettling himself. “Which is absolutely ridiculous at your age. What a horrible childhood you must have had.”

“My childhood was fine. It was normal. I had friends who I went out with instead of watching movies because I wasn’t a nerd.”

“But you could have had friends and stayed in and watched three amazing movies.”

“It was alright,” Raúl mused. “Cool, but alright. Not amazing.”

He could almost hear Álvaro sneering. It was a fun sneer, though, if that were possible. The type he’d worn when they were together for the Confederations Cup, and it was them and Xabi Alonso, and a few too many drinks after a perfect number of goals. “I accept that it’s your right to be objectively wrong, but I’m still pretty sure Italy’s made you a snob.” 

“But I dress better now.”

“That’s debatable. Anyway, what’d you think? More specific than ‘cool’.”

“I liked it.” It was Raúl’s turn to shuffle around. He was hedging, and he knew Álvaro could tell. He was perceptive like that. 

His scoff was weirdly tinny over the internet, too. “Do you have a favorite character?”

“The dog-monster.”

“Chewy. Figures.” 

“-- _Hey!_ ”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing. I mean, you like the giant, non-verbal character. It’s just fitting, that’s all.” Álvaro chuckled. Raúl frowned and scratched his beard. He didn’t know quite how to take that.

“Chewy’s cool…” Álvaro went on, “he’s really heroic. Han’s conscience a lot of the time, you know...” Raúl let him talk before speaking. “... Yeah, he’s not the brightest sometimes, but he’s good. Same thing for Han, I guess. Chewy’s just more genuine about it. Han plays cool, but they’ve got each other’s backs and that’s what’s up.”

“Kind of like Poe. The Stormtrooper kid.” Raúl interjected, absently. 

Álvaro cut him off, “No, you mean Finn. Poe’s the pilot. But that’s interesting, I hadn’t made that connection before. They’re kind of like the Han and Chewy of this trilogy, I guess.”

“So you think Poe-- Finn’s not bright.” Raúl wished he had flashcards.

“Well, no, but he’s also like twelve years old or something based on the Stormtrooper program thing they do.” Leave it to Álvaro to get caught up in the nerd thing and miss the point.

“But Finn’s not smart.” 

“That’s an oversimplification.”

“Right, because…” Raúl paused, trying to get a handle on how to phrase it. “... Do you think I’m dumb?”

Álvaro chuckled, “You’re no Silva. Only room for one magical genius out of Valencia, I guess.”

Raúl frowned. Through the connection, he could hear the other Spaniard shuffling around again. He wished he could see his face. “I’m serious.”

“Yeah but you told me months ago that I’m like Poe. Now you’re saying he’s a child. I tell you I like Chewy, and you say he’s dumb and can’t talk--” 

“--To be fair, he is a wookie. And I said--”

“Álvaro--” 

“I said Finn when I texted you before.” Raúl rolled his eyes. 

“Tostadas, don’t start with the nerd stuff now. Please.”

“You really think I think you’re dumb? I don’t talk to people I think are dumb.” He could hear Álvaro rolling his eyes, too, which oddly enough didn’t make him feel any better. “And I definitely don’t invite them to watch movies with me on skype.”

“We’d be watching movies in the same place if we didn’t live so far away.” Or, you know, could agree on a movie. The last time they’d gotten to hang out, Álvaro had wanted to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy and that was between nine and twelve hours of his life Raúl wasn’t quite willing to give up.

“Right. But the point is that I wouldn’t do that if I didn’t like spending time with you and I don’t really like spending time with dumb people.”

“So then you think I’m childish.” 

“... You’re mad I compared you to a fictional character you apparently don’t approve of. So maybe.”

“--Álvaro!”

Álvaro cleared his throat loudly in response. Raúl doubted the bastard needed to clear his throat at all. For one thing, his voice had sounded fine not a minute before. It was probably just for dramatic flare. Smug bastard.

“You want to know why I think you’re like Finn?”

“Not really,” he declared defiantly.

“Yeah, you do. Calm down.” Video chat. They should have figured out video chat or facetime or whatever it was. Maybe if he could see Álvaro’s face, he’d seem like less of a dick. Then again, maybe not. 

“It’s cause you’re brave,” he continued. “And strong. And hey, if the internet is right, Finn’s a Jedi which makes him a total badass. And he’s loyal and good hearted.”

“... Oh.”

Álvaro sighed. It was a long sigh, but suddenly it seemed less callous, less smug. He seemed tired. Then again, it was late. They’d been talking a while. Suddenly Raúl had to stifle a yawn.

“... So you think I’m good hearted and a badass,” he said finally. His voice sounded odd too, coming through the feedback of the microphone. 

“I think you’re good hearted. A real catch.” 

Raúl found himself blushing at that. Maybe it was a good thing they were both too old to make video chat work. He wouldn’t want to have to explain it. “I still think you’re a nerd.”

“That’s fine.” Álvaro was never bothered by such things, which was kind of admirable. Here Raúl was getting flustered over a perceived insult about Star Wars characters, and Álvaro got called names by just about everyone he’d ever played with or against and it just rolled right off him. The guy was like teflon. “You know why else you’re like Finn?”

“No. But you’re gonna tell me anyway,” Raúl smiled. “Cause you’re a nerd.”

“He shows up just in time to rescue his nerd boyfriend.” 

Yeah. Good thing they couldn’t work video chat. He figured his ears were red and if Álvaro could see it, he’d never live it down.

“Yeah well…” Raúl trailed off, not really knowing how to respond. On the other end of the connection, he heard Álvaro shuffling around again.

“... Wait is that like a thing? Do people think that’s a thing?”

Álvaro’s laugh echoed. Suddenly it seemed more full, less distorted by cyberspace and weird laptop microphones. “... It’s all over the internet, Chori.”

Suddenly, Raúl was reminded of weird fan-made things Álvaro had tweeted before. He found himself laughing, too.

“Nerd.”

**Author's Note:**

> Did you know that Álvaro Arbeloa tweeted about a Darth Maul fan film? 
> 
> I'm still working on my other stuff, but here's a bit of silliness in the meantime. Also seriously Arbeloa's a nerd. It's the best.


End file.
